All I can offer is our direct experience, which suggests that the AP version of the class is often better designed and more coherent than the other options available, at least without going outside of the high school, I mean.
Hardly the level of busywork described by madeinuk... and (again, IME) not exactly "half the pace" of the real college class, either. At least not all of them. Maybe some of them are like that, I don't know-- but the thing is, colleges sometimes offer a "one term" class in just 9 weeks, if they're on quarters, whereas other institutions might offer the same course over sixteen weeks. Nobody seems to think that the latter is "not college level" because it comes at a slightly slower pace.
Honestly, I'm not getting where the hate vibe is coming from here... Puzzles me, since AP may not be perfect... but still, it's a lot better than a lot what ELSE is available during high school.
Yes, the volume is a lot. But honestly... it's the only thing that has taught my DD any kind of work ethic at all-- she doesn't dare get TOO far behind in an AP class, and let me assure everyone that she feels no compunction there otherwise. (oy)
What I don't understand is why colleges will offer credit for the exams. I mean, there's already CLEP, so what the heck is AP for??
DD is definitely not "stressed out" by the workload-- it feels FINE to her. More than fine, in fact. She is the one that insisted on adding a third AP class this term-- late, no less. It was apparently because she was bored and wanted the GPA bump from the weighted course.
